Abstract
The present study was designed to investigate nasal diseases in patients with cleft palate. One hundred and one patients with cleft palate were studied. Anterior rhinoscopy was performed in all cases and radiographic examination, rhinomanometry, olfactory test, endoscopic examination of the olfactry mucous membrane were performed when needed. Besides, to clarify the relationship between nasal diseases and middle ear disease, we performed otoscopy, audiometry and impedance audiometry. The following results were obtained.
(1) Cleft lip and palate patients were highly associated with deviation of the nasal septum and hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate.
(2) The rate of sinusitis in cleft palate patients was high. It was considered that sinusitis is one of the causes of middle ear disease.
(3) There were no correlations between the rate of sinusitis and the type of clefts or existence of the deviation of the nasal septum.
(4) Nasal resistance in cleft palate patients was heightened by sinusitis, deviation of the nasal septum and hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate.
(5) Olfactory acuity was disturebed slightly in cleft palate patients. The main cause of this disturbance was the obstruction of rima olfactoria by sinusitis.
